Universal joint



Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Bendix ProductsCorporation,

South Bend,

Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 9, 1936, Serial No.109,878

3 Claims.

This invention relates .to universal joints, and more particularly touniversal joints which may be formed by a die-casting operation.

It has been found, in the manufacture of universal joints, that thecooperating parts of the joint must be accurately machined. and held torather close limits to insure satisfactory operation of the joint. Thecost of manufacturing a joint is therefore high and this cost is greatly1' reduced in producing the joint in the novel arrangement disclosedherein where the joint is made in such a manner that some of the morecostly machining operations are eliminated without impairing the properoperation of the joint.

I] An object of this invention is therefore to provide a universaljoint'which maybe manufa'ctured more economically than has been possibleheretofore.

A further object of the invention is to provide 20 a diecast universaljoint having reinforcing elements to strengthen the several portions ofthe joint subjected to high loads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a universal joint of theGarden type, the elements of which may be formed in part by die-castingoperations.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a method ofdie-casting the parts .of a Cardan type joint in such a manner as tofacili- 30 tate the assembly of the joint.

A still further object of the invention is to form a universal joint theparts of which will not require the more expensive machining operations.

Another object is todie-cast a Cardan-type uni- 35 versal joint in thefully assembled relation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, submitted for purposes of illustration only andnot intended to define the scope of the invention, reference being hadfor that purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawing, wherein similar reference char acters refer to similarparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a universal joint with severalportions broken away and shown in section to more completely disclose.the

present invention:

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure SisaviewsimilartoFigure 1 showing a different type of universaljoint;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showin another type of universal.joint; and

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown forpurposes of illustrating this invention, a universal joint having asplin d shank body member l0 adapted to receive a shaft, and a flangedbody member l2 having apertures I l therein adapted to receive bolts orother suitable fastening means to secure the body member l2 to amatching,- driving or driven 19 member.

The body members Ill and I2 are provided with spaced arms I6 and 20respectively adapted to transmit torque from oneof the body members tothe other. The arms 16 of the splined member Ill have outwardlyextending bearing studs l8 on their free ends, likewise arms 20 of theflanged cooperating member l2 have bearing studs 22 on their freeextremities. Thefour bearing studs l8 and 22 are journalled in spacedrelation in an annular member 2|, having hardened steel bushings 26which form journals for the bearing studs l8 and 22. p

In present forms of universal joints of this type the annular member 24comprises two similar cooperating elements bolted or otherwise securedtogether, each of the elements embracing one side of each of; thebearing studs. Material expense items are involved in machining theseparts so as to aline the joints in assembly as well as preparing theseveral bearings in producing the annular member; also in thepreparation of the flanged member l2 in obtaining the proper dimensionsbetween the bearing studs 22 and the flange face 28. I

The annular member 24 of the universal joint of Figure 1 comprises asteel insert or coretll, hardened steel bushings 26, and a layer ofdiecast metal 22 surrounding the several parts to maintain them inspaced relation. It will be 40 noted that the steel insert 30 isprovided with openings or gaps to permit assembling of the joints andthat these gaps are filled in and closed when the die-cast metal isapplied.

'1hememberl2isalsodiscl0sedashavinga steel insert N with arms 20 havinga layer of diecast metal on face 36, which when produced in this mannerobviates the necessity of machining the flange face and pilot diameterand bolt holes. all of which must be held to exact dimension.

In producing these joints the bearings 26 are assembled on the bearingstuds l8 and 22 and the core 30 is maintained in proper position aboutthe studs of members In and i2 the diecast metal then being flowedrelative to the structure to make a complete unit with all of theseveral bearings and bearing surfaces, that is, the splined shaftreceiving end and the flange face, in complete alignment requiring nofurther machining or assembly operation in order to be placed in regularservice.

The joint illustrated in Figure 3 is similar in many respects to thejoint shown in Figures 1 and 2, corresponding parts therefore havingbeen given corresponding reference numerals with the addition of 100.

The joint of Figure 1 is assembled and completed with the die-castingoperation, while the joint of Figure 3 is die-cast as several separateunits and these united into a single unit through the novel arrangementof the several parts permitting rapid and accurate assembly.

While the-joint of Figure 1 is described as completed in asingle-die-casting operation it may also be made in two castingoperations to simplify the die work involved, in which case the flangedmember I2 would be first cast and then the assembly and final castingoperation would complete the joint.

The splined member IIU has arms IIi formed with steel cores I40bifurcated at their ends, encased in die-cast metal as shown at I42 anda die-cast metal closure for the bifurcated end as shown at I44. Formedin the die-cast end of the arms H6 is an aperture or bore I45 adapted toreceive a hardened steel cup I48 having a bearing race on its innercylindrical surface. Also formed on the cup I48 is an ear I58 throughwhich it is secured as by a bolt I52 to the arm 6 to prevent itsdisplacement.

The flanged member II2 has arms I28, reinforced with bifurcated steelcores and die-cast ends Supporting bearing cups I48 in spaced relation.A steel core I34 which reinforces the arms also is formed with a flangeencased in die-cast metal I36 to make unnecessarythe machiningoperations of the flange at I28 and the bores I46. A cruciform memberI54 is journalled at the ends I56 in needle bearings I58 retained withinthe cup members I48.

Assembly of this joint is easily accomplished by positioning the arms H6and I26 of members H and H2 about the cruciform member I54.Needle-bearings are positioned about the bearing ends I56 of the memberI54 and the cup bearings I48 are inserted into the aperture I46 of thearms H6 and I2Uto encase the needle bearings and the ends I56 of thecruciform member. Thereupon bolt I52 secures the cup I4! againstdisplacement and maintains the several parts in spaced relation andagainst displacement.

While Figures 1 and 3 show joints with one splined member and oneflangedmember it will readily beseen that both co-operating members may beeither splined or flanged as the immediate requisites may demand.

Figures 4 and 5. illustrate still another form of universal joint, inwhich a member 2H1 has retatably mounted in its end a shaft 260 upon theends of which balls I62, adapted to move in the raceways I64 of aflanged shell member I66, are slidably and rotatably supported. Themember I66 is formed of a steel housing I68 within which hardened steelbearing races II2'are maintained in alignment and spaced relation bydie-cast.

metal "0. 'Die-cast metalI'Ill also extends over the face of the flangeas at I16 to again obviate the machining of the face, outer peripheryand bolt holes thereof.

While the invention has been described with particular reference tothree desirable embodiments, it is to be understood that many changesmay be made in the structural details and in the manner of combining thereinforcing segments with the die-cast sections, and in various methodsof heat treating the joint to obtain the desired results withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a universal joint, adapted to interconnect a pair of shafts, abody member connected to one of the shafts, spaced raceways formed inthe body member, a shell surrounding the raceways, a die-cast linerinterposed between the raceways' and shell to support the raceways andto bind the two rigidly together, and a spindle connected to the othershaft and provided with antifriction means adapted to .be received inthe raceways.

2. In a universal joint, a torque transmitting member comprising. arecessed steel shell, bushings positioned in the recesses ofsaid shellbut spaced from the walls thereof, die-roast metal filling the recessesand surrounding the shell to maintain the bushings in fixed position,and a torque-transmitting member having studs rotatably seated in saidbushings.

3. In a universal joint body member, a pair of spaced raceways, a shellsurrounding the raceways, and a die-cast liner interposed between theraceways and shell to support the raceways.

ERNST R. KQPPEL v I cmmncux or CORRECTION. Patent No". 2,1'9l 793. March26, 191w.

- I ERNST n. KQPPEL.

is hereby certified that error appears in the'printed apecificatioxi ofthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, sec--0nd column, line 511 for "about" road -relative. to--; line 55, for thewords 'relativo to read --about--; and that the said Letters Patentshould I be read with this correction therein that the same may conformto the rec- 0rd of ttxe, case in the Patent Office.

Signs? and sai eci this 8th day of April, A. D.l 19141.

I Henry Van Aradale,

(Seai) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

